


Time for More

by bornonthewrongside



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-23 16:40:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13194243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornonthewrongside/pseuds/bornonthewrongside





	1. What an Unusual Name

Sansa stood in the university’s library stacks, taking in the smell of old and new books and the sounds of the occasional sound of a page turning or a creak of a chair on the near silent fourth floor. The bright fluorescent lights brought out all the vibrant colors of the book spines; one caught Sansa’s attention, and she crouched low to grab it, and she flipped through the old yellowed pages. 

 

Her long red hair kept falling in her face, so quickly she wrapped it up in a bun. Sansa looked back on the call number of the book she was supposed to be looking for, and realized she was in the wrong row completely. Still holding onto the book, she went towards the back of the fourth floor. This was Sansa’s first semester here at Northern University, and she didn’t understand where everything was, or how the University library worked. That’s why she was here now; she was learning everything about this university within the first couple weeks of the semester so when it came time to it she wasn’t one of those first-years crying to the student workers when their papers wouldn’t print. 

 

Lost in her own thoughts, Sansa missed the row that would have the book she was looking for… again. She forced herself to stay focused as she walked through the rows, her eyes trained on the books.  _ Where are you? I just need… there you are! Growing Populations: Language Learners.  _ Sansa went to grab it, but realized that despite her height, she couldn’t reach it on the top shelf. She whipped her around to see if there was a ladder or step stool. Sansa tried going on her very tiptoes, but still couldn’t grasp the spine to get it. Huffing out a large, frustrated sigh, she looked around for the single step stool that was for the whole fourth floor. She found it at the end of the row, and dragged it as quietly as she could. Placing her feet firmly on the stool, she reached up to grab the book. 

 

It was heavier than she anticipated, and she had to yank it out with much more effort. This effort pushed her backwards, and as she tried shifting her weight, her sandal caught on the edge of the stool and made her lose balance completely. She stuck out her arms, to try to catch anything to stop her fall. That anything just happened to be a tall man trying to walk behind her. 

 

“Bloody fucking hell!” This man rasped out in alarm, much louder than anyone allowed on the fourth floor. 

 

They both tumbled to the ground, the stranger taking the worst of the fall. Books around them crashed down, leaving a deafening echo. 

 

“Oh, my gosh. I am so sorry.” Sansa whispered feverently, trying to get up as quickly as possible, but couldn’t get her hands in the right position. First, her hands were on his face, which made him grunt out loudly. Then, she gripped his biceps on accident, which fit nicely in her hands, but still was much too intimate a touch for her and a stranger. 

 

“Will you get off me?” He practically growled at her. And he took her by the shoulders, and set her by him. 

 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you behind me,” She rushed out in a breath, still in a whisper. 

 

“Obviously, you didn’t.” He still sat on the ground, as she did. She looked at him for the first time, and realized just how large he was. No wonder he had little difficulty to lift her up, his whole mass was muscle. His legs were bent at the knee, but still took up most of the width of the aisle of books. Sansa looked up at his face and found scars danced across his right side, starting at the mouth and swirling throughout his hairline. They were lighter than the rest of his skin, and it pulled his face a bit tighter than the rest of his face. His hair, a dusty brown, was pulled at the nape of his neck into a bun. 

 

Shaking her head and realizing she was probably staring much too long. Her hair was falling from her bun, and into her face again, so give her hands something to do, she took her hair down and smoothed it down over her shoulder. 

 

“I am truly, so sorry. I was just looking for this book, and it was heavier than I thought it was, and I… Well, I fell… on you.” 

 

“Aye, I know that part bloody well, don’t I?” He pushed himself up, and then to Sansa’s surprise, offered her his hand. 

 

Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his. It was warm and rough. Now they stood, and she right about him, he was tall and wide. He was simply a  _ big man _ . Sansa, herself, was tall, but the top of her head barely met with his chin. 

 

“Thank you,” She whispered. She glanced about them, and saw they had knocked down almost a whole shelf of books, and now they were scattered about on the floor. 

 

“Which book was the culprit of my concussion?” This man asked, and now that Sansa was looking at him more, she doubted her could be a student - he had to be about twenty-seven. Older than students, other than graduate students. 

 

“Hm, well which one was it?” He prompted, his voice in a whisper as well. 

 

“Oh, yes. It was,” Sansa pushed a peice of hair back behind her ear and looked around the ground. The book was laying open on the ground. “That one. Heavier than it looks.” 

 

He bent down, and picked it up as if it were a mere piece of paper. He flipped it around in his hands a few times before holding it out to her. 

 

“Take it with two hands,” He whispered, “so it won’t slip from those fingers of yours.” 

 

Sansa smiled shyly, “Thank you…” 

 

“Sandor, Sandor Clegane.” 

 

“What an unusual name,” Sansa grasped the book, and took it with a smile. 

 

“I suppose you have a common name such as Stephanie or Patricia.” He laughed out a little bit, and she could see the scars tighten as he smiled. 

 

“No, I’m the bearer of an unusual name myself. Sansa Stark.” She smiled, and a tickle felt in the back of her throat from only whispering. 

 

“Sansa Stark,” Sandor whispered back to her. “You need to learn to stay on your two feet.” 

 

And with that, he walked away from her, leaving her standing there among a scattering of books on the floor, and to deal with an upset librarian on her own. 


	2. No One Died

Sansa Stark walked through the crowded halls of her university. Sun peered in through the tall windows, and the large lecture halls echoed with the footsteps of students hurrying past them to get to their next class, lecture or lab. Sansa shouldered her heavy book bag, and had the book she had obtained from the library last week. Looking at the large book, she got instantly annoyed. That  _ man,  _ Sandor whatever his name was, was beyond rude, and he left her to pick up all the books on her own. Plus, she got a lecture from the librarian about the strict no talking rule on the fourth floor. 

 

That’s what drove her insane - yes, it was her that fell on him, causing the books to fall, but  _ he _ was the one didn’t at least whisper. Huffing out a large breath, Sansa opened the book, and read as she walked. The loud ring and vibrations of her phone against her thigh; she immediately picked it up, still keeping her eyes on the page. 

 

“Hello,” Sansa said absentmindedly. 

 

“Do you have a couple minutes?” Arya, Sansa’s younger rebellious sister, said without any preamble. 

 

“I suppose.” Sansa sighed as she adjusted her bag again. 

 

“Good. So, you left, and now I’m stuck here, and I have this thing I want to buy.”  Arya barely breathed. 

 

“You’re not making sense.” Sansa snapped.

 

“Can you convince our parents to let me travel?” 

 

Sansa closed the book, and veered off to the side, and leaned against the wall. 

 

“What?” 

 

“You took a year off after high school; I want to do the same.” 

 

Sansa snorted, “By yourself, no doubt.” 

 

“What’s so wrong with that?” Arya retorted.

 

“Arya, it’s dangerous for one -” 

 

Her sister cut Sansa off, “You did it. You traveled a whole year before going to university.” 

 

“I was with people,” Sansa sighed. “And we were with… his family.” 

 

Sansa didn’t say his name.  _ That name _ still brought pain to her stomach. Her sister knew this, but it didn’t stop her from pressing the issue. 

 

“Oh, yes. You were with the most beautiful Joffrey Baratheon. I forgot that traveling around the world immediately becomes safe when you’re with that ape.” 

 

Sansa laughed at her apt description, “That’s besides the point, Arya. Our parents will never let it happen. You need to go to school. You need to… I don’t know.” 

 

“Sansa, my beautiful sister, my darling sister, I love you. Please help me. I just want to travel for a while. I’m not ready for life yet.” 

 

Sansa was across from the coffee shop on campus, and suddenly felt exhausted. Pushing herself off the wall, she maneuvered around the people to get into the long line to get a coffee. 

 

“I understand that; I really do. But they won’t. They didn’t when I was leaving. They couldn’t say anything either. I was an adult,” Sansa’s turn in line came up, “Oh, Arya, I gotta go. I have class in twenty minutes. I love you, and we’ll talk about this later.” 

 

Sansa hung up the phone, and ordered a medium white chocolate mocha with an extra shot of espresso. After thanking the cashier with a smile, she moved down to wait for her drink. As she waited, Sansa scanned the crowded coffee shop. Her eyes landed on a man sitting at a corner table.

 

He was large - obviously fit, and his collared shirt was tight around his biceps and rolled around his forearms. His hair was pulled into a bun at the nape of his neck. Sansa’s mouth opened a bit as she watched him stretch back and the muscles played underneath the shirt. Her mouth opened in a gasp when she saw it was Sandor Clegane. His head turned to the side, and she saw he was wearing thick rimmed glasses, and a book dangled in his fingers. 

 

“Oh, come on.” She said to herself. 

 

“Is it wrong?” The blonde barista asked. 

 

“Oh, no sorry.” Sansa grabbed her coffee, and sipped it tentatively. She turned around, and saw him looking at her. 

 

She quirked an eyebrow at him, and moved out of the way of the other people. He still maintained eye contact with her. His face was nearly expressionless. 

 

Stopping herself from biting her lip, she walked towards him. 

 

“Hello,” She said plainly. 

 

“Hello,” he looked over his glasses now. 

 

Not knowing entirely why she walked over to him, Sansa stood there feeling stupid. 

 

“You know, you left me there to deal with that angry and very mean librarian last week.” Sansa blurted. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder, but this time it was an awkward gesture. 

 

He let out a large laugh that filled the already crowded room, “Because you falling on me made it my fault the librarian scolded you.” 

 

“You were the one who refused to whisper! The fourth floor is supposed to be silent.” Sansa glanced around, and saw a couple of people watching them. 

 

“Because the crash of two shelves didn’t disrupt anybody up there.” Sandor set his book down, and took her glasses off to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

 

“Are you even a student here?” Sasna accused. 

 

This time, he just looked at her. Then he stood, grabbing his book and empty coffee cup, “Excuse me, my lady.” 

 

His voice was dripping with contempt. 

 

Sansa watched him with her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She stood there for a few moments before someone tapped her on the shoulder, asking if she was going to be using that table. 

 

***

 

The oven beeping pulled Sansa away from her cluttered desk. She spent the past two hours studying since she got home, and she felt as if her brain was simply going to ooze from her nostrils. She had two exams this week and a project due next week - that’s not mention the two final projects she wanted to get a headstart on that way when final projects started piling up, she would be simply overwhelmed instead of drowning. 

 

Grabbing an oven mitt, Sansa pulled the pizza out, and practically started drooling. Food simply made her happy. 

 

“Sansa, what is that?” Her roommate, Margaery, yelled from her own bedroom. She told Sansa she was studying too, but she heard the faint whispers of the television, and knew more watching was happening than studying. 

 

“I made a pizza, you want some?” Sansa offered, knowing Marge was simply going to come and take some anyway. 

 

“I’ll be there in a minute! Pour me a glass of wine!” 

 

Sansa pulled two plates out of the cabinet and looked around their small kitchen. She loved their little apartment -two bedrooms with a tiny balcony overlooking the town and campus. It was perfect for them. The last bit of sunlight peering in before setting for the night, and it gave the couch and coffee table a soft glow. 

 

Margaery walked into the kitchen in black leggings and a low cut sweater. Her makeup was perfect, and her was up in a high ponytail. Sansa watched with a little bit of jealousy as her best friend sat at their round dining room table. 

 

“So, when you’re done slaving the night away in your bedroom, are you going to come out to the Beacon tonight?” 

 

“That’s gonna be a negative,” Sansa said through a huge bite of pizza. It burned her mouth, but it was so worth. 

 

“You’re never going to get the full college experience if you spend all of college studying.” Marge warned, her voice grave. 

 

“I’m never going to pass if I don’t study. And I really don’t feel like throwing my parents’ money away.” Sansa leaned back, and took a long pull of water. 

 

“You’re a freshman; there’s no way you’re going to fail any of the survey courses. Just come out tonight, please.” She pouted strongly, and it almost worked. If only, Sansa didn’t have an exam at 10 am. 

 

“Margaery, I don’t know how you’re passing. You go out five nights a week, and watch more TV than anyone else I know.” 

 

“It’s called multitasking, my dear Watson.” Marge laughed, and finished off her slice. She sipped her wine, and leaned back. 

 

“So you take shots and study Shakespeare?” Sansa laughed, and took their plates off the table and started scrubbing them in the sink. 

 

“If you ever bring a textbook into a bar, we are no longer friends. You hear me, Sansa Stark?” Marge pointed a finger at her, and stared her down. 

 

“I don’t go to bars - I don’t want to go bars. Is that so hard to understand?” 

“Yes.” Marge answered. 

 

“Well, you have fun, dear. I’m going to finish studying then maybe take a walk tonight.” Sansa kissed Marge on top of the head, and went back into her room, where a pile of textbooks waited for her. 

 

Another hour later, when Sansa could barely keep her eyes straight, she slammed her textbook shut and laid her head on her desk in defeat. 

 

“Why did I go to college?” She said to herself, while looking at her to do list laying next to her. 

 

She slowly stretched out her back, then stood to stretch the rest of her body. Her shorts were wrinkled from sitting for so long, and her shirt was stained with pizza sauce. She groaned out, and looked outside. The sunlight was gone, only traces of day lasted while it gave way to the night sky. 

 

Quickly, Sansa changed into leggings, and a sweater to take that walk she was going to reward herself with. She grabbed her keys and headphones, and went into the dark. 

 

The air was brisk, and the moon created an incandescent glow that the street lamps couldn’t mimic. Sansa breathed in deeply, and smiled. 

 

She walked to campus first, about ten minutes, and then to the nature reserve behind it which was another five minutes. Her thoughts strayed from school, to family, to her hair, to the cute puppy sleeping lazily in his yard. Her phone buzzed, and it was Arya again, but she sent it to voicemail. No one disturbed her walks - they were for her and her alone. 

 

Looking both ways before crossing the street, Sansa crossed with her hands in her pockets. She turned to the left, and was watching her steps on the sidewalk - naively avoiding cracks in the ground when she collided with something. 

 

Sansa fell to the ground, and a body pinned her weight to the ground. Her headphones were ripped from her ears, and she could hear labored breathing. 

 

“Seven hells,” a man’s voice rasped. His sweaty body laid on top of her, and she could feel his breath on her hair. 

 

“Get off of me!” Sansa pushed him off of her, and scooted away as fast as she could. She pulled her pepper spray out, and aimed at the man. 

 

He sat up, and she could see blood on his knees and palms. He looked up, and she couldn’t believe. 

 

“Seriously?” She called out in disbelief, and lowered her arm. 

 

“Do you ever watch where you’re going?” Sandor whispered feverently. 

 

“Oh, now you know how to whisper.” Sansa snarled at him. “And you’re the one who ran into me!” 

 

“Get over the bloody librarian!” He got to his knees, and brushed dirt off his arms and his face. 

 

“You’re not the one who got yelled at!” Sansa had to stop herself from laughing. This was ridiculous. 

 

“And I’m sure a proper lady like you never has been scolded in her life.” He stood, and offered his hand to her. “Are you okay?” 

 

“I’m fine,” Sansa stood on her own. “Why weren’t you looking where you were going? And why are you sweaty?” 

 

“It’s called a run, have you heard of it?” He adjusted his sweatpants that sat low on his hips. 

 

“Oh,” Sansa murmured, “that makes sense.” 

 

Despite her efforts, Sansa let out a chuckle. “I thought I was gonna die.” 

 

“Are you hurt?” He asked sincerely. 

 

“No, it’s just if a man falls on you during the night, it’s not an accident…” She trailed off, hoping he was understanding what she wasn’t saying. 

 

Luckily, he did, and he immediately straightened out a little bit, “I can walk you home.” 

 

“No! No, that’s not necessary.” Sansa’s intertwined her fingers. “But, I should head back, so… goodbye, Sandor.” 

 

She turned around, and heard his footsteps behind her. 

 

“I’m not following you; I’m headed my own way.” He said nonchalantly. 

 

“Okay…” Sansa smiled awkwardly, and continued on her way. He was still breathing heavily, and he stopped suddenly. 

 

He nearly collided with her, but he stopped so the fabric of their clothing brushed against each other. 

 

“You’re going to follow me anyway aren’t you?” 

 

“I’m not following, my lady.” He said the words with a kind of disdain. “I’m just walking on my way.” 

 

“You’re way happens to be my way?” Sansa cocked her eyebrow, not feeling nearly annoyed as she should be. 

 

“If you want me to walk ahead of you, I can.” He stepped to go ahead of her. 

 

“Then I’d feel as if I was following you.” Sansa sighed. 

 

“So, let’s both walk our own way, side by side. No one is creepily following the other.” He smiled a bit, and stepped to the side. 

 

“I am capable of walking myself.” Sansa looked at him as she stepped beside Sandor. “I’m armed.” 

 

“I’m sure that spray would have worked wonders on a man my size.” He laughed.

 

“Shall we try it?” Sansa pulled her keys out, and looked at the bright purple canister of pepper spray. 

 

“I’ve been pepper sprayed before, and I’m not likely to volunteer for it again.”

 

Sansa looked over at him, and saw his hair was in disarray, most likely from their tumble. 

 

“I think we need to stop meeting like this.”

 

“That would be up to you, since you’re the one who always seems to be falling over me.” He laughed, and she could have sworn he winked, but she couldn’t be sure because looked away. 

 

“It’s not my fault the book refused to come off the shelf. And this” She waved her arm backwards towards where they fell, “was all your fault.” 

 

“You weren’t looking either. You were staring at your feet.” 

 

“So you saw me and didn’t move out of the way?” Sansa pulled her hair behind her ear. The evening wind was pulling it across her face. 

 

“It was right before we… uh, collided, and I didn’t process it.” Sandor huffed out a breath. He looked down at his hands, and brushed from rocks out of the abrasions. 

 

“Are you okay?” Sansa looked at his hands.

 

“This is nothing - I just didn’t want you to take my full weight, or I would surely crushed you.” He laughed out in an awkward way. Sansa got the sense that he wasn’t one to engage in this kind of social interaction often. 

 

“Can we make a truce then?” Sansa asked, holding out her hand to this strange man. 

 

“A truce?” He cocked an eyebrow, but held out his  bruised hand anyway. “I suppose, if you don’t attack me in the cafe anymore.” 

 

“I didn’t attack you,” Sasna retorted. 

 

“Sure, no you didn’t.” Sandor falsely conceded. 

 

“You’re the one that barged out for no good reason.” Sansa accused. 

 

They walked in silence for a few moments. Sansa realized they forgot to turn onto campus, to get to her apartment. Instead they would go around, which added about ten minutes. 

 

“Are you a student here then?” Sansa asked quietly, and pointed to the Northern University sign.

 

“Aye,” Sandor nodded. 

 

“Are you a senior?” Sansa asked, hoping he wouldn’t get defensive again. He looked much older than many of the other students. She thought at first he worked there, but he was too young to be a professor. 

 

“I have a semester left. I’m an odd case, you could say.” Sandor let out a light laugh, and rubbed the back of his neck. 

 

Sansa was about to say something but he started speaking again, “I was - am - in the military. My commanding officer wants me to go and get my degree so I can move through the ranks. So I’m here, years older than almost anybody else. I mean, how old are you? Seventeen? Eighteen?” 

 

“Nineteen, almost twenty.” Sansa answered quietly. 

 

“A child.” He laughed, “Are you a sophomore?” 

 

“No, I’m a freshman actually. I wasn’t able to go to school last year for… reasons.” Sansa thought it best to keep it at that. 

 

“A wee babe, then.” Sandor laughed. 

 

“I’m a fully functioning adult, thank you very much.” Sansa smacked his arm playfully. 

 

“Of course, we’re both students anyway. I’ve just seen how harsh the world can be.”

 

“You’ve seen how harsh the military can be; that’s different than the world.” Sansa corrected. Her eyes felt heavy at that - she knew the world could be harsh.  

 

He looked over at her, his eyes lingered on hers. “Aye, that is different. Most people don’t think so though.” 

 

“My brother is a military man, as is my father and uncle. I get some of it.” Sansa saw her apartment building ahead. 

 

“Then you know some things, Sansa Stark.” Hearing him say her name made her feel funny, like it was taboo. 

 

“Well, this is me.” She nodded to the building. “Thank you for heading your own way, Sandor Clegane.” 

 

“Love the solitary walks.” He nodded at her, and then turned back to the way they came from. 

 

“I thought you said this was on your way?” Sansa called after him. 

 

“No one ever died from a detour,” He called back, and waved his goodbye.  


End file.
